Spice Up Your Breakfast

I really enjoy exploring other cultures through their food. There's a lot of history there. My children are usually skeptical of new cuisines, a fact prompting me to wonder why our 13 and 16 year old boys always badgered us to go to the local Chinese buffet after church. While I'm not a big fan of self-serve buffets (germs and gluttony...need I say more?), I did get excited that perhaps they were curious about Chinese food and perhaps that curiosity might lead to someone to share in my joy of mei fun and broccoli with garlic sauce. After being seated at our table, we were all given the go ahead to hit the buffet. The starter gun must've gone off without my hearing it because those two teenage boys were off like a bat out of you know where. After carefully choosing just the right mix of noodles, veggies and soup, I sat down to enjoy my Asian delights. It was then that I discovered why my boys wanted to go to the Chinese buffet...all you can eat french fries! Yes, our Chinese buffet has nestled amongst its delightful offerings a huge pile of crinkle-cut, frozen, then reheated, I might add, mediocre french fries. Oh well, they did eat the fortune cookie on the way home...does that count?

This dish was introduced to me by our dear friends from Jordan. We love to eat at their house because when you walk in, it feels as though you stepped into a Persian marketplace. Cardamom and cinnamon fill the air and the spread of food that we're always offered there is nothing short of amazing. This is my take on ozzi, my favorite dish that my friend makes. The original dish is a mixture of cooked rice and short pieces of angel hair pasta, laced with spices and topped with plain yogurt and almonds...sometimes green peas, too. Although I have only been served it as a dinner side dish, I love it as a Middle Eastern sort of breakfast porridge...so filling and deliciously exotic. The ingredients may sound strange to be put together, but it is SO delicious...I promise you'll love it! Thanks, Wafa!

Ozzi

Approx. 2 cups of steamed basmati or jasmine rice (brown or white)

1/2 c. of plain yogurt or if you're lucky enough to live near a source for Wildwood Soy yogurt, use that...it just needs to be plain and tart, not sweetened

1/2 t. each of nutmeg & cinnamon

1/4 (or more) c. of toasted slivered almonds

salt to taste

Layer all the ingredients in a bowl then enjoy the sultry goodness, adding more almonds and yogurt as needed...you can thank me later.